Don't Leave Me Alone
by Curly Valkyrie
Summary: "You'll find another Chat Noir; you might even find other kwamis. You won't be alone." "But I won't have you." Adrien and Plagg make a tough decision after the defeat of Chat Blanc. !TW! Implied suicide


Chat Noir stood on the leg of the collapsed Eiffel Tower, overlooking the ruined city of Paris. Bunnyx and Ladybug – Marinette – had already run through the burrow, leaving him behind.

He sighed, closing his eyes and turning away from the destruction that he – no, Chat Blanc – caused. "Claws in," he murmured, feeling his suit dissolve to reveal his civilian attire. Plagg flew out of the Miraculous, silent for once in the time Adrien had known him.

"Plagg, I-" Adrien broke off, emotion clogging his throat. He swallowed hard and tried again.

"Plagg, I am so, so _sorry_." He looked at the kwami, shame and guilt written over his face. Plagg remained quiet, green eyes filled with unvoiced emotion. Neither of them moved, simply gazing at each other in silent regret.

A tear slipped out of the corner of Adrien's eye. Plagg followed it with his gaze, watching as it splattered on the slick metal of the toppled monument. Slowly, he flew over to his owner and buried his face in the black shirt in a hug. Adrian held the kwami close, falling to his knees and letting his sobs echo over the destruction.

Plagg didn't know how to feel. In all of his life, he had never been akumatized while powering Chat Noir. His memory was fuzzy, but he still remembered that uncontrollable power attacking him, forcing him to relinquish control. He could still feel the helplessness bleeding from Adrien into him, the abandonment of all hope and the raw hurt that transformed into rage and desperation. But most of all, he could recall the betrayal and shock resonating from his owner, even now as he listened to the choked cries of Adrien.

"You know you're not responsible for anything an akuma makes you do," the black kwami said, trying in vain to comfort his owner. All he received in response were tears.

Plagg sighed. Being the kwami of destruction, he wasn't one for comforting or giving advice; they both knew that after all the time they had spent with each other. Normally, he left the sentimental stuff up to someone else who actually cared while he did whatever he pleased. He didn't nurture; it was the exact opposite of everything he was. And yet…

Adrien sniffled, melting Plagg in a way that he didn't even think was possible. Of all of the Chat Noirs he had known, he'd never been so attuned to one's feelings as this boy. Now he understood how Tikki could be so attached to her Ladybug; as fragile as humans were, they also were some of the kindest creatures in the universe.

It was then that he noticed that Adrien had stopped crying. Lifting himself from the shirt, Plagg flew up to meet his owner's bloodshot eyes.

"I…_I didn't mean to,_" Adrien whispered. "I didn't want all of this to happen, I swear."

"It's not your fault," Plagg began, but was cut off.

"Yes, it is. If I could've resisted, if I had just been a little stronger, none of this-" he gestured to the ruined city "-would have happened. Now there's nothing, no _one,_ and it's my fault."

Plagg didn't say anything. Adrien was stuck in that mindset, and nothing would break him out of it. Frantically thinking of ways to lift the mood, he flew into his owner's shirt, searching for the camembert that was always tucked in the inside pocket. Finding his prize, he flew back out with the cheese.

He hung there, the block of camembert dangling from his paws. Beaming, he held it up in front of Adrien's face. Adrien, however, only shook his head and turned away.

Plagg's smile fell. He flew around to meet Adrien's face again, holding up the cheese offering again, only to be rejected once more.

"Please," he begged, clutching the snack with his paws, "don't make me eat this alone."

That finally broke Adrien's resolve. The blonde boy hesitated, and then broke off a small piece of the camembert from the kwami, bringing it to his lips. Plagg held his breath until he saw Adrien swallow it, and almost whooped for joy when he saw a small smile. "Thanks, Plagg."

"Nothing like some delicious camembert to solve all your problems," the black kwami said, throwing up the remaining cheese and swallowed it whole. When he finished, he turned back to Adrien, only to see his owner taking off his ring. "Wait, what are you-"

"I can't be Chat Noir anymore, Plagg," Adrien said. "I'm not worthy of carrying the Miraculous, not after everything that's happened." He held out the silver ring, offering it to his kwami.

Plagg shook his head fervently. "No, that's not true!" he protested, pushing his owner's hand back. "This was a one-time thing, that's all! Just a mistake, and it'll be fixed as soon as Ladybug uses her Lucky Charm! You can't give up now!" Even as he spoke, Plagg knew his words would have no effect.

Adrien laid the ring on the ground next to him. He stood, looking down at the water far below him. "Talk to me Plagg," he said quietly. "Tell me about your life."

The kwami of destruction began crying. "Please, don't do this," he mewled. "Just wait, soon the magic ladybugs will fix everything!" He flew over Adrien's shoulder and hugged his cheek. "Please don't leave me alone."

Adrien sighed, taking the crying kwami into his hands. "You'll find another Chat Noir; you might even find other kwamis. You won't be alone."

"But I won't have you."

Adrien's breath hitched. He stared at the weeping kwami in his palms, normally so laid back and detached. But his mind was made up. Clutching Plagg close to his chest, he cradled his best friend until the crying ceased.

Green meeting green, Adrien nodded. Plagg, trembling, flew back over his shoulder and began talking. He spoke about the dinosaurs and how he accidentally annihilated them with his cataclysm. He reminisced about his Guardian friends, before Maser Fu accidentally destroyed the temple. He was just beginning to explain his role in creating the Grand Canyon when he heard a faint splash.

He froze, willing Adrien to still be behind him when he turned around. But when he finally did, there was no one in sight. The Miraculous lay on the cold metal of the Eiffel Tower, along with a small note.

_I love you Plagg._

Plagg began crying once more, clutching his small body with his paws and apologizing to the owner he had failed. The magic ladybugs flying through the portal did nothing to distract him from his pain, not until they swept over him, bringing a numbing dark before restoring what had been lost…

* * *

"Ugh, why would anyone send a beret when they could send cheese instead?" Plagg complained, rolling his eyes with disgust when Adrien sighed.


End file.
